Malik Al-Sayf
Skills Once an incredibly highly skilled Assassin, Malik's mind and reflexes are still tuned to that branch of physical movement and intelligence. After losing his left arm however during a mission he can no longer perform the great feats he once was able to do. He is still able to scale buildings where normal humans may struggle, however this is incredibly difficult and requires his entire body strength for balance and manipulation and it tires him out greatly and far faster than he once found. He no longer carries the hidden blade that is traditionally hidden in the gauntlet of the left hand, however he is still able to wield his main sword and as he relies on it more than ever he is particularly quick and deadly with it. His wiseness and ability to think ahead gives him a better scope in a fight to plan his reaction, he still holds a fairly high skill in accuracy when using his throwing knives and finds that he pays sharper attention to how he uses his remaining hand. If he were to be disarmed he would struggle and must always be wary of this. His agility and reflexes were left relatively intact after the incident and it is his forte. He would have anyone believe that his rooftop running days are behind him, but he has in secret been attempting to overcome the block placed before him however practice is slow and painful and he still has a long way to go before he can rely on his dextrity once again. Despite his eagerness to prove and jump back into combat, Malik is something of a strategist given the time and space to mull over such a thing. He has a keen eye for detail and spots things others might easily miss- these things he can use against an opponent in the heat of a fight. He is able to hone in on weak points or sloppy movements and attempts to use these to his advantage where he can. Personality Malik was once a high ranking Assassin in the prime of his youth and talent, yet he was always wise beyond his years and his brash and stern nature have remained with him. Like all Assassin's he was forced from a young age to never love another soul or leave himself open to it's advances, and as such he distanced himself from his parents and perhaps more earnestly from his own brother. He was always incredibly devoted to the Creed and Al Mualim, his loyalty was unconditional and unending yet since the terrible ordeal at Soloman's temple where he lost both his brother and his arm he has grown slightly distant from his Brother's, preferring to be alone and in solitude. He is impossibly proud and equally stubborn and perhaps a little harsh yet he means well and rarely gives bad or sour advice- he is a good man to have on any side if you can learn to ignore his scathing insults. Before the incident that cost him his arm, Malik regarded Altaïr as incredibly arrogant and when his arrogance cost his brother's life he was infuriuated with him and continued to greet him with bitter resentment and hatred despite their forced civility in the eyes of the Creed. He regrets every day trying to protect himself from the worry of the emotional impact if he were to lose Kadar, as the pain of actually losing him without ever really having the chance to tell him how much he loved his little Brother was a far worser pain to endure. As the leader of the Jerusalem Assassin Bureau and Dai he is a well mannered and intelligent man, however he is still incredibly emotional and sore after losing not only his Brother but his livelihood and glory for the arrogance of another, a rival. He can be harsh and unsympathetic at times but he is still a strong ally to have and his devotion and loyalty knows no limits. There is still a small part of Malik, innocent and still glimmering with hope that there might be a day he can come to grips with all unresolved from his past. He does not like to live in anger or solitude but finds it very difficult to forgive himself for what may have been out of his control. He is not one to take a compliment well and falters under any sign of positive comment directed at him though he does yearn to be rid of the uselessness he has felt since losing his arm. He has served in the Bureau out of duty but loathes being tied down or kept hidden from the world and from people. He is in danger of wasting his life away in shadow and secrecy as he is too afraid to find out whether there really is a place left for him with more self worth than drawing maps and offering stern advice. Appearance In terms of pshyical appearance Malik is fairly average; he is clearly of Arabic lineage with naturally tanned skin and of a decent height with a thin yet physically fit figure. His face is thinly angled with a sharp almost beak like nose and deep brown eyes bridged by sleek brows. His hair, black in colour is quite mussed and messy where it was once neat and tidy. His strong jawline is dappled in a thin film of messy stubble and a stronger grown goatee covers his chin, he is covered in old, healed-in scars that hint at what his life once entailed, and still does to a degree. Malik has a somewhat cold and distant gaze and he is often tense and quick to react. He has short patience and this is reflected slightly in his often narrowed eyes and the chewing of his lip with frustration. Due to a failed mission in Soloman's Temple he has lost his left arm after suffering heavy injury. It was amputated shortly after his return to the Assassin's Order and he wears his left sleeve pinned to his robes. He is slightly senstive about the subject and prefers not to address it when brought up. He carries himself proudly though he betrays his emotions and his nerves far more easily than he once did. Malik's clothing has changed very little since his previous occupation, he still continues to wear his white Assassin robes designed to keep him cool in the suns harsh glare, bound by a thick brown leather belt and red velvet sash, however he rarely wears his hood up to protect his face. Over his robes he wears a dark gray, almost black in colour robe with the left sleeve pinned neatly to just below the shoulder and detailed at either side near his knees in a delicate silver pattern. Upon his feet he wears supple brown leather boots, though no gauntlet on his remaining hand. He no longer wears a hidden blade, and only until recently he did not bear weaponry however he has since re-equipped his long sword beneath his black robe in a thick leather sheath, it is light to carry and can deal quite a devastating blow is used correctly. He has also re-equipped four throwing knives to his belt, believing it better to be safe than sorry, though other than these two forms of weaponry he holds nothing else. Relationships History Malik Al-Sayf was born in 1165 ad in a time of great change and possibility. When it became apparent he was ready, and when Malik was of age to join the Assassin Brotherhood, like many before him he was forced to dissemble any strong bond with both parents, and he was joined in his training eventually by his younger brother, Kadar. They grew up together alongside Altaïr, an Assassin that would eventually go on to marr Malik's life- but they grew up as equals and as best friends. Malik continuously pushed Kadar away in terms of brotherly affection and closeness, fearing the hurt he would experience if anything were to ever happen to him. Malik's skills became apparent in due time and he found himself rivalled with Altaïr in both strength and skill. During an important mission to Soloman's temple alongside Kadar and Altaïr to recover the Templar's treasure- which turned out to be Piece of Eden- he confronted Altaïr over his arrogance and disregard for the Assassin's Creed when Altaïr voiced his plan to confront and kill Robert de Sable rather than carry through their assigned mission in stealth and secrecy. Altaïr failed to carry out his plan as Malik attempted to push him aside, seperated from him Malik was left with Kadar to confront the enemy as Altaïr escaped. It was here Kadar was murdered before his very eyes following a heated skirmish and an agonising torture, Malik was due to suffer the same fate of death however he managed to fight his way out and obtain the treasure miraculously on the way. He sustained many injuries however and his left arm was so badly wounded it was later amputated after becoming heavily infected and risked his life upon returning to their leader, Al Mualim. Due to his success, despite Altaïr's failure, Malik was later made a Dai, and become leader of the Assassin's Bureau in Jerusalem. It was here he eventually was reunited with Altaïr much to his anger and distrust, they shared a frosty exchange and Malik continued to berate Altaïr for every little mistake or slipup. It was not long after Altaïr successfully assassinated his destined target, Talal, Malik began to greet him with slightly less hostility and though they still struggled to hold a conversation without snide comments there was improvement. This was strengthened when Altaïr approached him for advice on his next task of assassinating Majd Addin. Malik was slightly pleased he had asked for help and expressed this outwardly. Following the successful assassination Altaïr returned to Malik to return the feather dipped in the blood of the target- Malik however still shrouded by his pride remarked that every action Altaïr undertook troubled him, and asked him to reflect on this on his return to Masyaf. He resumed his solitary life alone for a time. Upon Altaïr's return some time later Malik had spent time reflecting over their tensed relationship and decided to take it slightly easier on him. Their next meeting was far more civil and they spoke to one another as equals for the first time in a long time. Malik saw flickers of what their friendship had once been, perhaps even regretted the past, and they parted ways on fairly good terms. Following the funeral of Majd Addin and a tense skirmish Malik and Altaïr argued over whether to chase Robert de Sable or return to Al Mualim for advice first. Altaïr argued that Malik was hiding behind the Creed as his shield and went to Arsuf after Robert alone. Malik was left reeling by the accusation but time spent alone began to wear away at his guilt. Malik remained to attempt to learn more about the Temple treasure of Jerusalem whilst attempting to uncover Robert's whereabouts. Altaïr returned to Malik at his bureau before leaving to approach him for the first time over Soloman's Temple. Malik refused to accept his apology stating that Altaïr was no longer the same man that had caused their defeat- and ultimately a 'mistake of one was a mistake of all'. Altaïr set off to Arsuf and Malik returned to Soloman's Temple to locate the journal of Robert De Sable. It was here Malik discovered Al Mualim's betrayal, their once-trusted leader, through the recording of the Piece of Eden and he hurried back to Masyaf to tell Altaïr . It was shortly after Malik arrived at a small town on his route to purchase a few neccessary items including food and ink. Following a reckless argument with a merchant over unfair prices he attempted to vacate the scene without a fight however due to his stubborn nature (and following a poorly aimed insult) involved himself in a fight. He was sharply surrounded by guards who mistook him for a thief and he was knocked out cold. He woke in an open field layered with snow on the outskirts with a bloody head to show for his troubles. Dazed and confused he limbered through the snow towards distant flickering lights of a town- he managed to scavage his hidden blade, and his sword from nearby and a small limited number of throwing knives. He never reached the town however, and after falling un-concious a second time it was shortly after dark, black tendrils seemed to rise out of the ground that cushioned him and consumed him and left no trace of him behind. When he awoke, it was to the sights of Pandora. Pandora History